What does popularise mean?
Popularise means to make something widely known, appreciated, or widely used, especially among the general public. It is commonly applied to books, ideas, products, languages, foods, games, and cultural practices that become popular through promotion or wider exposure. The word can imply either a deliberate campaign to attract public interest or the gradual effect of making something more appealing and accessible. For example, a writer may popularise an unfamiliar period of history, while a company may popularise a new product through advertising and social media. The related adjective popular describes the resulting popularity, and the noun popularisation names the process. Although the spelling popularize is standard in American English, popularise is widely used in British and other varieties that favour the -ise ending. The word is useful when describing how something crosses the boundary between specialist or local interest and broad public recognition.
verbTo make something popular or widely known and used. It can also mean to make an idea, product, activity, or form of knowledge appealing to the general public.
- To make something widely known, accepted, or used, especially by making it appealing to the general public.
"The documentary helped popularise the history of the ancient city."
"The author played a key role in popularising the novels of nineteenth-century Russian literature."
"The company used social media to popularise its new range of reusable bottles."
Every household name began as something unfamiliar—popularise describes the moment it broke into the mainstream.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of popularise
Popularise was formed in the early 19th century from popular and the verb-forming suffix -ise, meaning 'to make like' or 'to cause to be'. Popular itself comes through Old French populaire from Latin populus, meaning 'people' or 'population'. Related English words such as popular, popularity, populate, and population ultimately share this Latin root.
Related word forms
How popularise is actually used
The spelling with -ise is standard in British English, while popularize is standard in American English. The word is often used with subjects such as a person, organisation, book, movement, or product that brings a subject to public attention.
Easily confused with popularise
Popular is an adjective describing something that is well liked, whereas popularise is a verb describing the process of making something well known or appealing to the public.